JSU Composer Wins First Prize

Dr. Mike D'Ambrosio

It was announced in early June that JSU composer Dr. Michael D’Ambrosio was the First Prize winner and first recipient of the Arant Choral Competition Prize. The Arant Choral Composition Prize was named in honor of E. Pierce Arant, Jr., former conductor of the University of Georgia Concert Choir, in recognition of his many years of service to the Hodgson School of Music at UGA. As well as a monetary prize, the award also includes possible performance of the prize winning composition.

The prize winning work, "In You The Earth," is scored for mixed choir and had been recognized earlier in the year when it was awarded Third Place prize in the 2006 NUVOVOX Choral Award Competition as part of the Diana Barnhart Song Forum.

This year Dr. D’Ambrosio’s compositions have received performances at the Society of Composers, Inc., Region VI conference at Rice University, at Oklahoma State University where he conducted a residency in preparation for the world premier of a new choral work, "Wind on the Island" and at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference 2006, in Iowa City where his "Sonata for Alto Sax and Piano" was performed by Kevin Towner.

As part of JSU’s first New Music Concert held in April, Dr. D’Ambrosio’s work, "Fanfare," was performed. This piece was commissioned by the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall to commemorate the 125th anniversary of this downtown Cincinnati landmark.

Dr. D’Ambrosio is a graduate of Lehigh University with degrees in both Music and Accounting and of the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where he was awarded both Master's and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Before coming to JSU, he taught at University of Dayton and Oklahoma State University.

At Jacksonville State University Dr. D’Ambrosio teaches courses in music theory, composition and related areas and directs the overall operation of the Music Theory and Composition area. As an active composer, he has several projects underway including compositions for wind ensemble and a planned residency in Connecticut in May 2007.

For further information on his compositions, visit Mike D'Ambrosio.

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